Josef schuster remains president of the central council of jews

Josef schuster remains president of the central council of jews in germany. The 64-year-old was unanimously elected to a further four-year term of office at a non-official meeting in frankfurt, according to the central council.

The physician from wurzburg has held the honorary office since 30. November 2014 inne. Schuster was vice president of the central council from 2010 to 2014.

"Even in times of growing anti-semitism, we will not be discouraged," schuster declared after his re-election. "We will make our contribution to a tolerant and open-minded germany."The central council of jews in germany, founded in july 1950, is the central umbrella organization of the jewish communities in this country. According to the latest figures, he represents 105 jewish communities with a total of just under 98,000 members.000 members (as of 2017).

The chairman of the council of the protestant church in germany (EKD), heinrich bedford-strohm, congratulated schuster on his re-election: "he is a stroke of luck not only for judaism in germany, but also for our entire country. I look forward to continuing to hear his strong, distinguished and intelligent voice in the public arena in the future," it said in a statement.

In a letter of congratulations, the chairman of the german bishops’ conference, cardinal reinhard marx, called schuster a "valued cooperation partner of the churches". Marx emphasized, among other things, that schuster takes a clear stand against right-wing populism. "There is a common position here between the churches and the central council in germany. Your concern for democracy and for a culture of debate in society based on mutual respect is also our concern."

The federal government’s commissioner for jewish life and the fight against anti-semitism, felix klein, told the dpa that he was looking forward to further cooperation with schuster. This committee has "repeatedly initiated important political debates". He had vigorously promoted important initiatives such as the founding of a jewish academy as well as central meeting and educational projects for the clarification of judaism. "These once again made us aware of the enrichment that jewish life represents for our country."

Mark dainow from offenbach and abraham lehrer from koln were confirmed in their positions as vice presidents of the central council. The prasidium of the central council has nine members, each elected for four years.

Schuster was elected on 20. Born in haifa/israel in 1954. In 1956, his parents returned with him to his father’s home in lower franconia. Schuster studied medicine in wurzburg and settled there as an internist with his own practice in 1988. In addition to his involvement in the central council of jews in germany, schuster is vice president of the world jewish congress (WJC) and the european jewish congress (EJC).